Joe Jost’s first opened its doors in 1924 by—you guessed it—Joe Jost himself.
This historic Long Beach spot was originally a barber shop, pool hall, and poker emporium. Once prohibition ended in 1934 though, Joe decided to start serving up beers and handmade sandwiches. The rest is history, and although you can no longer get a haircut here, you can certainly still count on their classics. Ice-cold beers on tap, freshly made sandwiches, pickled eggs, and their popular roasted peanuts. Beyond its food and drinks though, Joe Jost’s holds a special place in the heart of locals.
“For many years I worked at LB Community Hospital and after a difficult day my coworkers and I would go to “Joe’s” to unwind. Sometime in the early ’70’s I had a patient named Joe Jost,” shared Mike McComas on their site. “When I mentioned the good times we had at his bar, he perked up and smiled a thank you. He was a very gentle, soft-spoken man and obviously, very pleased to be recognized. We recently came back to Long Beach and to our delight, Joe’s still remains as I remember. Thanks to his family for keeping Joe’s dream alive. Going back there after nearly 50 years brought back fond memories and truly warms my heart.”
Today, they’ve served over 14,000,000 frosty schooners of beer, 4,500,000 sandwiches, and 6,000,000 pickled eggs. Even if alcohol isn’t your go-to, Joe’s is also known for their sweet classic root beer. Fun fact, during the Prohibition Era, Joe always draft root beer to quenched the thirst of customers.
His legacy lives on and his bar is currently owned by his grandson. You can always find this spot full of friendly LBC locals sipping their cold beers, indulging in polish sandwiches, and playing some billiards. With its history, it’s safe to say that Joe Jost’s is here to stay.
Location: Joe Jost’s, 2803 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804
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